Aerial target



A. M. FELTUS AERIAL TARGET Sept. 22, 1953 Filed March 20 1950 F ig.

Abram M. Fe/fus IN VEN TOR. BY film WW Em Patented Sept. 22, 1953 UNITE STAT 1 Claim.

This invention relates to novel and useful improvements in a target, and more specifically pertains to improvements in a clay or similar skeet target or the like.

The principal object of this invention is to provide an improved skeet target and the like which will more quickly and accurately evidence the accuracy of a hit upon the target by a gunner.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved skeet target which shall greatly increase interest in trap shooting by the effects of hits of different accuracies upon the target.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an improved clay pigeon which shall be inexpensive, of the same overall size and appearance as conventional targets, and yet shall be modified to obtain a vastly different effect in response to hits of various accuracies by shooters.

These, together with various ancillary features and objects of the invention, which will later become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by the present invention, pre ferred embodiments of which have been illustrated, by way of example only, in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a clay pigeon suitable for use with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the target of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 3-3 of Figure 1, an element of the invention being removed therefrom;

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the element of the invention removed from Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3 but showing the clay pigeon and a fibrous pad secured thereto in accordance with this invention;

Figure 6 is a group assembly view showing a shattering of the target and the separation of the mass of fibrous material therefrom as a result of a direct hit upon the center portion of the target;

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 but showing the result of a partial hit upon the target; and

Figure 8 is a top plan view of one of the layers or laminations formin a part or the fibrous pad of Figure 4. v

Referring now more specifically to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, there is indicated generally at it a skeet or clay pigeon of conventional design and construction such as customarily employed in trap shooting and the like and to which the present invention is to be applied. This target consists of a clay or other frangible body or unit, the same being bowl-shaped and provided with a concaved surface I l, the unit having a central web portion 52.

Indicated generally by the numeral it is a mass of fibrous material constituting a pad which, in accordance with the principles of this invention, is to be attached to the web portion 52 of the frangible body It. This mass of fibrous material 16 may conveniently consist of a plurality of substantially circular laminations, layers or sheets of a felt-like material or any other material of a similar nature which is of a fluffy, lightweight character. The pad it may conveniently be formed as by securing a plurality of sheets or layer [8 together and sewing, stapling or otherwise fastening the layers into a pad as by stapling, fastening or similar means indicated generally at 23 in Figure 4. In any event, it is intended that the plurality of layers or sheets of material shall be secured together and act as a unit for attachment to the clay pigeon it, as set forth hereinafter.

It is further to be considered that the invention comprehends the fastening of a plurality of sheets together, as by adhesives, or the like, but preferably, as shown in Figures 3, 5 and 6, a fastening means such as a conventional form of brad or the like 22 provided, the same having a headed portion 2t. This brad is intended to be inserted through an axial opening in the web l2, the

headed portion 2% resting on the exterior surface of the web as shown in Figure 3, and the split shank of the brad extending into the interior of the clay target pad and extending through central apertures 26 in the sheets it, so that by bending the ends of the brad the layers of the pad will be secured together and the entire pad secured to the under surface of the web I2 as shown in Figure 5.

Preferably, the layers N3 of the web are of such size that the same will be secured and received entirely within the cavity or concaved surface 14, with the periphery of the sheets terminating in spaced relation to this surface as clearly disclosed in Figure 5.

Alternatively, the pad may be secured to the web by such means as adhesives, or the like.

With the device arranged as in Figure 5, it will be seen that the separate pad element has been attached to a conventional clay pigeon and is entirely housed and received therein, whereby the operation of the pigeon is handled by a trap machine and its flight through the air will not be affected by the presence of the pad. However, when a direct hit has been made upon the center of the target, that is, upon the web portion I2, this web will be shattered, as shown in Figur 6, and the pad l6 will then fall freely to the ground. However, if only a partial hit has been made upon the target, as shown in Figure 7, only a portion of the rim of the target will be destroyed, and the web portion [2 will remain substantially unbroken, with the pad [6 attached thereto. In this instance, the motion of the target will continue as shown by the arrows in Figure 7, and the pad will be carried with the target. In either event, the light, flufiynatureof-the pad will be more readily distinguishableduring dropping of the pad or of the unbrokenportion of the target to the ground, and will thusserve to indicate the accuracy of the hitf'lrfother words, upon a direct or full hit upon the target, the pad will be completely released and its fluffy nature will stop further progress of the same in the direction of flight of the target, so that the pad will drop directly to the ground beneath the hit. However, in the case of a partial hit, the fluffy pad will be carried by the unbroken portion of the target and will thus be moved onwardly in the line of flight of the target and will fall to the earth at a considerable distance from the location where the target was hit. By means of this construction, it will be much easier to determine the accuracy of a hit, and the number of hits which a shooter makes, thereby greatly facilitating interest in and enjoyment of trap shooting.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device, together with its advani tages, will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art after a consideration of the foregoing specification and accompanying drawings, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, but all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus disclosed and described the invention, what is claimed as new is as follows:

, A skeet target comprising a conventional dishshaped clay pigeon having a central web portion anda pad offibrous material attached to said web portion within the confines of the clay pigeon, said pad consisting of a plurality of layers gfa felt-like material of a fiuffy, lightweight character, the attachment being by means of a single metallic fastener extending through the pad and the web portion.

ABRAM M. FELTUS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 292,118 Jopling Jan. 15, 1884 297,307 Stock Apr. 22, 1884 356,354 Erb Jan. 18, 1887 571,958 Saylor Nov. 24, 1896 1,369,830 Mitchell Mar. 1, 1921 1,966,342 Gerdes July 10, 1934 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 778,969 France Jan. 5, 1935 

